Japan Relaxes Travel Restrictions, Allows Arrivals at All Airports

Japanese travel authorities announced on Jan. 4 that restrictions concerning inbound flights from Hong Kong will be relaxed, according to a local government press release.

While the government welcomes the new relaxations, it has emphasized that correspondence with Japanese authorities would continue such that travel restrictions targeting Hong Kong flights would be rescinded in order to reduce the impact on travellers.

Japanese travel authorities started restricting passenger flights departing from Hong Kong on Dec. 30 of last year. Over the past few days, the government has kept in contact with the Japanese authorities, noting that Japan would relax such restrictions.

From Jan. 8 passenger flights departing from Hong Kong will be allowed to use other Japanese airports, including Narita Airport, Haneda Airport, Kansai Airport, Chubu Airport, New Chitose Airport, Fukuoka Airport, and Naha Airport. In addition to this change, Japanese authorities will also allow airlines to add certain flights departing from Hong Kong.

Due to these new relaxation measures, the Japanese authorities have decided that the frequency of overall passenger flights will be restricted to some extent.